Aerodynamic stabilizer for motor vehicle

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns an aerodynamic stabilizer ( 71 ) for motor vehicle consisting of at least one baffle plate in the vehicle wheel housing ( 31 ).

[0001] The present invention has for its object an aerodynamicstabilizer for an automotive vehicle.

[0002] There are known such deflectors constituted by spoilers fixed tothe lower portion of the radiator grill or to the rear of the body or ofthe chassis. These spoilers have the effect of aerodynamically pressingthe vehicle toward the ground to increase the adherence of the tires tothe roadway and hence to improve drivability, steering and holding tothe road of the vehicle thus equipped.

[0003] These spoilers however have substantial drawbacks, particularlyfor racing or rally vehicles. They increase the weight of the vehicle,they are difficult to secure to the vehicle to resist forces to whichthey are subjected and as to front spoilers, they are very vulnerableand damaged by the least shock.

[0004] The present invention has for its object the provision of anaerodynamic stabilizer for an automotive vehicle, which will be light,of small size, easy to fix to the vehicle, not vulnerable to shocks andnot cumbersome, which offers little or no air resistance and hence doesnot slow the vehicle.

[0005] The present invention has for its object an aerodynamicstabilizer for an automotive vehicle, which is distinguished by thecharacteristics set forth in claim 1.

[0006] The drawings show schematically and by way of example severalembodiments of the aerodynamic stabilizer according to the invention.

[0007]FIG. 1 is a partial side view of a vehicle provided with a firstembodiment of aerodynamic stabilizer according to the invention.

[0008]FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of a wheel well provided withthe stabilizer of FIG. 1.

[0009]FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the stabilizer according tothe invention.

[0010]FIG. 4 shows in perspective a third embodiment of the stabilizeraccording to the invention on an F1.

[0011]FIG. 5 is a top view of FIG. 4.

[0012]FIG. 6 is a front view of FIG. 4.

[0013]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the front left wheel well of avehicle provided with a fourth embodiment of the stabilizer.

[0014]FIG. 8 is a plan view of the stabilizer of FIG. 7.

[0015]FIG. 9 is a plan view of a stabilizer according to the fourthembodiment but adapted for the rear wheel well of the vehicle.

[0016] In FIG. 1 is shown the front left portion of an automotivevehicle comprising, mounted on a chassis, the body 1 and the frontwheels 2. Each wheel 2 is rotatably mounted and the front wheels aresteerable to left or right, in a wheel well 3 which comprises the body1. This wheel well 3 forms a recess, open on the outer side of the car,within which the wheel can freely turn and be steered. This wheel wellis also downwardly open and extends from the lower side 4 of the vehicleto a high point 5 slightly above the tire 6 of the wheel 2.

[0017] When the vehicle advances, and particularly when the speed ofmovement is great, there is created a circulation of air about thewheels 2 in the wheel well 3 which tends to decrease the force withwhich the wheel 2 and the tire 6 bear on the ground, giving rise towell-known drawbacks of loss of adherence, loss of drivability, holdingto the road and steerability.

[0018] The stabilizer according to the invention, constituted by abaffle 7 mounted in the front portion of the wheel well 3 between thelower part 4 and the high part 5 of the wheel well, preferably on thefront portion of this wheel well, permits modifying the air flow in thewheel well and decreasing the lifting or destabilizing effect of thisair flow. To the extent the wheel 2 regains its adherence to the ground,so also it gains drivability and steerability. Holding to the road bythe vehicle is thus restored.

[0019] The baffle 7 is for example formed by a flat iron or bar fixed tothe body in the front portion of the wheel well, extending substantiallytransversely over all or a portion of the width of the wheel well.Preferably, each baffle 7 extends at least over a length correspondingto the width of the tire 6.

[0020] Each baffle 7 can be straight or have the form of a broken orwavy line. Its height depends on the position in which it is disposed inthe wheel well and on the distance separating the tire and the wheelwell at this point.

[0021] In modifications, each baffle 7 could be constituted by alatticework or a pierced metal sheet.

[0022] In other modifications, the shape and size of the baffle canvary. This baffle can, on its free edge disposed facing the tire, have acurved shape substantially parallel to the outer shape of the tire.

[0023] It is evident that several baffles can be provided, disposedalong the wall of the wheel well. In this case, these baffles can bedisposed one after the other or in a diagonal pattern.

[0024] In all the embodiments and modifications, the result of mountingthese baffles is always a modification of the air flow circulating inthe wheel well, tending to reduce the upward pressure created by thisair flow on the vehicle.

[0025] The securement of the baffle or baffles can be effected bywelding, cementing, by screws or any other suitable means.

[0026] Such a stabilizer is low cost, easy to produce and to fix to thevehicle, and offers no resistance to movement of the vehicle and is notvisible and is protected from shocks.

[0027] The vehicle can be provided with such a stabilizer on the frontwheels only, or on the front and rear wheels, or on only the rearwheels.

[0028] In the case of cars comprising a molded body, the baffle formingthe stabilizer can be an integral portion of that portion of the bodyforming the wheel well.

[0029] In this first embodiment, the baffle or baffles are disposedtransversely relative to the car, namely, substantially parallel to thewheel axle.

[0030]FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the aerodynamic stabilizeraccording to the invention. Here again this stabilizer is formed by abaffle 8 or wing but the latter is fixed or made or one piece with thebottom 9 of the wheel well 3. Thus, this baffle is located in thelateral space between the tire and the bottom 9 of the wheel well.Preferably, this baffle 8 is inclined rearwardly at an angle comprisedbetween 20 and 60° relative to the traveling plane of the vehicle.

[0031] The presence of this baffle modifies the turbulence in the wheelwell and gives rise to an under pressure between the wheel 6 and thebottom 9 of the wheel well, which promotes cooling of the brakes andmoreover improves the stability of the vehicle.

[0032] In this second embodiment, the baffle or baffles are locatedperpendicularly to the wheel axle, namely, substantially in a planeparallel to the longitudinal axis of the car.

[0033] The third embodiment of dynamic stabilizer is illustrated inFIGS. 4, 5 and 6 and is adapted to be provided on racing cars andformula 1 cars. These cars have no wheel well properly so called,however it will be noted that the space comprised between the front bodyportion or nose of the car and the front tires is also the site ofturbulence and overpressure.

[0034] This turbulence can be eliminated and there can be created anunder pressure between the tires and the body by securing baffles 10 onthe support bars 11, 12 of the wheels. These baffles 10 are present inthe form of small plates inclined rearwardly at an angle comprisedbetween 0 and 60°, preferably 45° relative to the traveling plane of thevehicle. In the illustrated embodiment, two baffles 10 are fixed one onthe upper bar 11 and the other on the lower bar 12, but inmodifications, a single baffle can be provided on one of the securementbars 11 or 12. Similarly, in the example shown, the baffles 10 are fixedon the rear arm of the securement arms 11, 12 but they could be fixed onthe front arms of the securement bars.

[0035] The presence of these baffles 10 facilitates evacuation of theair from the space comprised between the wheel and the body, whichstabilizes the wheel which regains its adherence and above all givesrise to an under pressure which sucks the air through the wheelpermitting better cooling of the brakes.

[0036] Of course, these baffles could also be mounted on the securementbars of the rear wheels.

[0037] These baffles preferably extend substantially parallel to thelongitudinal axis of the car but they could also be inclinedtransversely in modified embodiments.

[0038] In one modification, the baffles 10, instead of being mounted onthe suspension bars of the wheel, could be fixed on or produced of onepiece with the wall of the body facing the inner side of the wheel.

[0039] In the described embodiments, the baffles are flat; obviously, inmodifications, they could be profiled and/or have an aerodynamic shape.

[0040] Moreover, the weight and dimensions of the baffles obviouslydepend on the vehicle on which they are mounted.

[0041] FIGS. 7 to 9 show a fourth embodiment of the aerodynamic baffleor stabilizer according to the invention.

[0042] In this embodiment, the dimensions of the baffle are reduced. Thebaffles adapted to be provided for the front wheel wells, shown in FIG.8, have the shape of an angle iron whose rectangular portion is adaptedfor securement whilst the other wing 20 has the general shape of a righttriangle whose two summits are rounded. The length of this baffle is ofthe order of 20 to 25 mm whilst its width is comprised between 7 to 15mm.

[0043] Each baffle is fixed in the wheel well, as shown in FIG. 7, on astraight line passing through the axis of the wheel and making an angleof about 45° relative to the bottom of the body. Moreover, this baffleis fixed such that its active surface 20 will be substantiallyperpendicular to the wheel well and that its greatest length will belocated inwardly of the wheel well. The positioning of the baffle issuch that it is located facing the outer edge of the tire, namely in theouter edge of the wheel well.

[0044] The rear baffle on the same car is shown in FIG. 9. Its activesurface 21 is slightly larger, 25 to 35 mm in length and 10 to 15 mm inwidth, but its position in the rear wheel passage is similar to thepositioning of the front baffle relative to the wheel well.

[0045] Tests have shown that, surprisingly, such small baffles that donot extend over all the width of the tire but only over about {fraction(1/10)}th of its width, have an effectiveness even more marked thanbaffles of a width substantially equal to that of the tire.

1. Aerodynamic stabilizer for a motor vehicle characterized by the factthat it is constituted by at least one baffle disposed in the spacecomprised between the wheel and the body of the vehicle.
 2. Stabilizeraccording to claim 1, characterized by the fact that this baffle isconstituted by a flat iron, perforated or not.
 3. Stabilizer accordingto claim 1, characterized by the fact that this baffle is constituted bya latticework.
 4. Stabilizer according to one of the preceding claims,characterized by the fact that it comprises several baffles disposed onefollowing the others.
 5. Stabilizer according to claim 4, characterizedby the fact that the baffles are disposed in a diagonal pattern. 6.Stabilizer according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythe fact that the baffles are positioned in the front portion of thewheel well.
 7. Stabilizer according to one of claims 1 to 5,characterized by the fact that the baffle or baffles are positionedagainst the bottom of the wheel well beside the wheel.
 8. Stabilizeraccording to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the baffles arefixed on at least one of the securement bars of the wheel connecting thelatter to the chassis of the vehicle.
 9. Stabilizer according to claim1, characterized by the fact that the baffle or baffles are fixed on thewall of the body facing the inner side of the wheel.
 10. Stabilizeraccording to one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact thatthe baffles are inclined rearwardly at an angle comprised between 0 and60° relative to the rolling plane of the vehicle.
 11. Stabilizeraccording to one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact thatthe baffle or baffles extend substantially parallel to the wheel axle.12. Stabilizer according to one of the preceding claims, characterizedby the fact that the baffle or baffles extend substantiallyperpendicular to the wheel axle.
 13. Stabilizer according to claims 1, 6and 10, characterized by the fact that each wheel well comprises asingle baffle fixed adjacent the outer edge of the wheel well, and bythe fact that the width of a baffle is substantially equal to {fraction(1/10)}th of the width of the tire.
 14. Stabilizer according to claim13, characterized by the fact that the active surface of a baffle hasthe general shape of a right triangle whose two summits are rounded. 15.Stabilizer according to claim 14, characterized by the fact that thelength of the active surface of the stabilizer is comprised between 20and 35 mm whilst its width is comprised between 7 and 15 mm.